The Five Scarves - Dragonkin Ultimatum Part 5
by RaceProUK
Summary: On one side, Rob Stiil, Maria Shanmao, Danny Brock, and Xander Lykos fight for the future of their home and for Hanna Skarlett. On the other, Captain Aquila Kawaguchi is armed with the power of all five Elemental Crystals. Aquila's victory looks certain, but Red Scarves never surrender…
1. Chapter 1

As the sun begins to set, the four Scarves climb up towards the balcony; the agile and speedy Maria leads the way, with Rob and Danny following close behind, Xander bringing up the rear. Regrouping on the balcony, they take a moment to steel themselves.

"Inside the throne room is the greatest threat we've ever faced, armed with the greatest power we've ever witnessed," Rob begins. "I'll be honest: I'm not expecting to come out of that room alive."

"I don't think any of us are," Danny confirms.

"I've seen death once," Maria states flatly. "I don't fear it anymore."

"Just being advocate of the _móguǐ_ , but we do have the option of rescuing Hanna and living life on the run," Xander reminds; the lack of reaction reveals no-one considers that an option.

The four friends remain silent for a few moments.

"Let's finish this," Rob commands, entering the corridor, sai drawn, ready to fight.

* * *

A few minutes later, the Scarves enter the throne room. Once they're all inside, the corridor behind them is blocked off with a clang of metal; a quick scan of the room's periphery shows all exits are thoroughly sealed.

"I have been following your progress." The voice of Captain Aquila Kawaguchi fills the room. "I must admit, I underestimated you. You have taken on the five finest fighters in the Gotoshi and triumphed; despite their abilities being boosted by the Elemental Powers, you prevailed. You even turned two of them to your cause, and you got them to use the powers I gave them against me."

"Thanks for the ego boost," Rob growls. "Now show yourself and surrender."

"You know I don't surrender," Aquila reminds.

"Then show yourself and fight," Rob replies.

"All in due time, my dear hare," Aquila insists. "First, we have a little business to conduct. Talents such as yours are wasted here; petty thieving is beneath you all. But do not despair; I can give you all far more satisfying lives. Join me, and not only will I spare the vixen, I will make all five of you demi-gods; together, we will cleanse the galaxy of evil."

"Cleanse the galaxy of evil?" Rob scoffs. "After all you've done, you expect us to believe you're _fighting_ evil?"

"When we met last, I informed you of my intentions behind gathering and using the Elemental Crystals," Aquila reminds. "Those intentions remain intact, as does my desire to avenge my father at all costs. Surely you agree with me that a galaxy without Brevon is a galaxy improved?"

"We will not help you destroy Brevon, only for you to take his place," Rob states defiantly. "Now show yourself."

"Very well," Aquila sighs.

A shadow descends from the ceiling; Aquila lands in the centre of the throne room; he has fitted himself with a device that sends a shiver up Rob's spine.

"I see the hare recognises my new kit," Aquila smiles.

"That's the design the Ethereal had…" Rob breathes.

"Is that really the name he chose?" Aquila asks. "How quaint. But then he was totally mad. Still, he served his purpose well enough."

"He was working for _you?_ " Rob asks in surprise.

"Of course!" Aquila chuckles. "How else do you think I knew the Crystals were on this wretched green mudball you call a planet? It's a shame you got in the way; if you hadn't interfered, Brevon would be dead, and your world would be safe."

"Lies."

"Without your interference, I would have landed, claimed the Crystals, and taken off; no-one would have noticed."

"The destruction of the Elementals would have been noticed."

"And the authorities would immediately assume the Red Scarves were responsible; given you are all members, you should be fully aware of your guild's blood-soaked reputation, a reputation you contribute to." Aquila pauses half a moment. "Come to think of it," he smirks, "you and your valentine vixen actually played out my alibi. Ten weeks too early, but still."

Rob remains silent for a moment. "Touché," he growls reluctantly.

"You haven't accepted my offer," Aquila reminds. "After all, who _doesn't_ want the power of a demi-god?"

"I've seen what that sort of power does to people," Rob informs. "We refuse your offer."

"Then you will die," Aquila declares.


	2. Chapter 2

Tapping into the power of the Water Crystal, Aquila surrounds himself with a dense envelope of pure aqua; he charges with greatly enhanced speed directly at the Scarves; the Scarves scatter almost in panic, barely escaping the attack. As Aquila skids to a halt, the Scarves recover their composure; they spread one to each corner of the throne room and dive into cover.

Aquila turns to find the Scarves are hidden. " _Cowards!_ " he yells, switching to the Fire Crystal; the water instantaneously vanishes in a loud puff of steam, replaced by orange incandescence. "Come out and face me!" he demands, returning to the centre of the room.

Maria peeks out from behind the pillar she's using for cover; she sees Rob's hand counting down from three. On the zero signal, Maria charges Aquila from behind; simultaneously, Rob sprints from the opposite corner to distract the flaming dragon. Aquila diverts the flaming aura into a narrow jet, aiming for Rob; the raking of Maria's stolen tekko-kagi across his back causes him to aim high as he falls to his knees; the spear of flame cracks the wall above Rob, sending chunks of rubble raining down just behind the hare as he dives into cover once more.

Aquila stands and looks for Maria; she's already made it into cover. "You'll have to do better than that!" he calls out as he taps into the Metal Crystal to heal and repair the damage to his augmetics.

Danny sprints across the back of the room behind Aquila, unleashing three shuriken as he does so; they bounce harmlessly off the metallic skin of the dragon, who spins to unleash a stream of shrapnel at Danny; the badger just makes it into cover before the stream hits.

"Enough trickery!" Aquila demands as he increases the intensity of the shrapnel stream; it slowly cuts through the pillar; Danny drops low to shield himself from the building dust cloud. Suddenly, the shrapnel stream stops; there's a loud clang as Xander slams Aquila into the floor, cracking the marble several feet in all directions. The wolf begins to rain powerful blows with his tonfa on the device Aquila has the Crystals mounted in; he only gets two blows in before Aquila reacts. Tapping into the Earth Crystal, Aquila summons a dense shield of gravel, using it to block Xander's attack; the wolf continues his barrage regardless. But it's no use; he can't break through the shield.

"My turn," Aquila growls; he slams a rock-clad fist into the side of Xander's head. The wolf rolls with the blow; stopping several feet away, he shakes his head to clear it, then stands in time to catch Aquila's follow-up attack; now tapping into the Wood Crystal, Aquila fights Xander with tonfa of his own.

"You're no match for me!" Aquila cackles as he taps more power, boosting his speed and strength; in moments, Xander is forced backwards and up to the wall behind him. Desperate to help her friend, Maria breaks cover once more; she throws her tanto directly at the back of Aquila's neck. Aquila anticipates however; he spins and catches the compact blade in one of his tonfa. The opening that action creates is too good for Xander to refuse; he again charges Aquila to the floor, again aiming to destroy the device containing the Crystals. But Aquila's not going to get caught the same way twice; just before he strikes the ground, he fires a vine to a pillar; with the vine wrapped around firmly, Aquila pulls himself from under the wolf, who slams into the floor.

"I'll get to you later," Aquila promises Maria as he stands; he fires a vine at the lynx; it wraps around her and a pillar, pinning her helplessly in place. "Oh, and have your knife back," he mocks, tossing the tanto to her immobile feet.

"Hey, no fair!" Maria protests.

Aquila shoots out another, shorter vine; it slips between Maria's teeth, wrapping round the back of her head to form a thick gag. "There, much better," he smiles; Maria can only mumble in response.

"Let her go!" Xander demands as he charges Aquila a third time; the dragon turns and, switching back to the Water Crystal, unleashes a potent stream of icy wind at the wolf; Xander slides to a halt mere inches from Aquila, totally encased in solid ice.

"Two of you down already," Aquila sighs, pushing the frozen Xander to one side. "I had hoped for more from you all," he shrugs.

Maria can only watch in horror.


	3. Chapter 3

As Xander freezes and Maria struggles hopelessly to escape the binding vines, Danny regroups in cover with Rob.

"Status report," Danny requests, his voice hushed.

"We're screwed," Rob reports, equally quietly.

"Agreed," Danny replies. "But I won't go down without a fight."

"Win or die," Rob agrees.

"Got a strategy?"

"Nope."

"I do," Danny informs. "I'll distract him, you free Maria; her tanto's by her feet."

"And Xander?"

"Leave him; he's done for."

"OK; on three."

Rob signals one, two, three; Danny darts out of cover, calling "Over here!" as he dives behind a pillar; Rob uses the distraction to cross the room and slip behind the pillar Maria is bound to.

Aquila stalks towards the pillar Danny is hiding behind. "I know what you're doing."

"Really?" Danny asks, remaining hidden.

"Isn't it obvious?" Aquila replies; spinning as he re-engages the Fire Crystal, he unleashes an intense fireball; it strikes Maria's tanto, melting it instantly. Rob pulls his hand back sharply, the fur of his fingers badly singed; he shrinks into cover in case Aquila follows up.

"So much for your plan," the dragon smirks, turning back to Danny.

"I admit, it was a long shot," Danny replies.

"Want to die quick or slow?" Aquila asks.

Danny leaps from cover and charges, nunchaku twirling; Aquila counters, his hands wreathed with fire. Danny ducks under the dragon's first attack; he sweeps low with the nunchaku, aiming to tip the dragon off-balance. But Aquila's augmetics keep him rooted; the nunchaku bounce off his legs harmlessly. Danny's momentum takes him past Aquila; he turns in time to block the dragon's follow-up attack. Deflecting the third punch gives Danny an opening; he strikes for the device, but is blocked; Aquila counters with a powerful gut punch; Danny flies several feet backwards, landing hard on his tail and sliding a few more feet.

"You can't win," Aquila gloats. "Surrender, and I'll make it quick and painless."

Danny, his stomach fur blackened and the skin below burnt, gets up slowly as he tries to recover his breath. "Never… surrender," he winces.

"I was hoping you'd say that," Aquila grins malevolently; switching to the Earth Crystal, he charges a Dragon Boost, unleashing it at Danny; the badger braces for impact; Aquila strikes Danny with the force of a landslide; Danny flies across the room; he slams into the far wall hard enough to crack the plaster, then falls to the floor unconscious, his body broken.

"It's missing something," Aquila murmurs; a moment later, tapping the Fire Crystal, he fires an intense cutting stream of plasma at the wall above Danny; weakened, the top half of the wall collapses, burying Danny completely under masonry.

"And now it's the hare's turn," Aquila smiles to himself.


	4. Chapter 4

With Maria bound immobile, Xander frozen solid, and Danny buried under a ton of masonry, Rob is the last Scarf standing; still hiding behind the pillar Maria is bound to, his mind races as he tries desperately to think of a way to win this dire situation.

"The longer you hide, the more she will suffer," Aquila vows, referring to Hanna. "Surrender now, and I'll end everyone quickly."

Rob peeks around the pillar at the advancing dragon; he takes great care to remain in as much shadow as possible.

"Want to play a game now, do we?" Aquila questions, turning his back to Rob. "This is… 'Hide and Seek', am I right? Of course, it's no fun when I already know where you're hiding. Tell you what: I'll count to ten, and you find a new hiding spot. Then I'll come and kill you."

As Aquila begins his count, Rob looks frantically around the room; he spies Aquila's pistol on the desk at the opposite end of the room to the dragon. Rob sprints out from behind the pillar; as he leaps over the desk, he snatches the gun. Hiding behind the desk, Rob hastily checks his new sidearm; it shows signs of significant repair, but otherwise appears serviceable. _And it's loaded; perfect._

"Eight!" Aquila declares suddenly. "Nine! Ten! Ready or not, here I-" Aquila starts as he turns around; he pauses when he sees Rob standing behind the desk, pointing the pistol directly at him.

" _This ends now!_ " Rob declares.

"You're really going to shoot me?" Aquila chuckles. "Don't you recall what happened when I tried to have six of my best shoot your girlfriend in the head? And when I unloaded a whole magazine at her?"

"She could tap the power directly; you need that thing strapped to your chest," Rob retorts.

"Oh, I see where this is going," Aquila nods; he unclips the device holding the Crystals from his torso and lays it on the ground. "I am unarmed and unarmoured; do as you wish."

Rob aims at the Crystals; at the last second, he switches aim to Aquila's head and pulls the trigger.

The pistol detonates in his hand.

Shrapnel from the slide sprays Rob's face, blinding him; with a cry of pain and anguish, he drops to the floor, clutching his ruined hand in the other.

"Sorry," Aquila mocks. "Should have mentioned I sabotaged the pistol. But seriously, did you really think I'd just leave my sidearm out for any idiot to grab?" Picking up the device and reattaching it to his torso, Aquila walks casually towards the desk and the crippled hare behind it; with a great upward sweep of a summoned blade, he cleaves the desk in two, sending the halves apart with force. "You knew there was no way to stop me when you came here. It makes me wonder why you bothered."

"Because someone has to," Rob growls through gritted teeth.

"Helps to have luck on your side though," Aquila continues. "That dragon-girl I met in Shang Tu… what was her name… Lily I think. Something obnoxiously cute like that anyway. She was extremely lucky; for someone of her age to triumph over Brevon… any other time, she'd have died long before she ever got near him. You four have been rather fortuitous too; pity it ran out just when you needed it most."

"So long as one of us lives, you have not won," Rob retorts.

"Oh yes, that pesky little fact," Aquila sighs. "Well, I've taken two of you out already, and your girlfriend won't survive the night. That just leaves you and the lynx."

"The Jades will turn on you."

"And they will be destroyed. As will anyone else who opposes me."

"And you say you're better than Brevon."

"I am," Aquila smiles. "Brevon wants an empire; I only want one planet. After all, I'll need a base of operations and an army if I am to build a fleet and hunt him down; why not here? And I'll leave behind a far better world, one of technology instead of all this insipid filthy green and brown… _stuff_. Though I may keep the pink trees from around where you live; they'll make good decoration. Pity you'll never see it."

Aquila picks up Rob by the neck and carries him to the wall, where he pins the helpless hare through the shoulders with two summoned metal spikes; Rob grunts with pain as each is driven through his flesh. "Don't go anywhere," he commands redundantly before turning to Maria. "Now it's just me and you."


	5. Chapter 5

Maria, eyes filled with terror, struggles as frantically as possible to break free; her efforts do nothing except drain her last energy reserves. Inevitably, she resigns to her fate; she hangs her head and weeps, knowing the battle is truly lost.

Aquila approaches the crying lynx; tapping into the Wood Crystal, he spins vines into a chair and sits in front of Maria. "Hey, don't cry," he soothes insincerely. "You all did a lot better than I expected; you should be proud of yourselves. As much as I wanted the Grand Masters to kill you, I don't regret you being victorious over them; aside from fighting that Lalic girl in the Shang Tu palace, you four are the first real battle I've had in years."

Maria lifts her head just enough to look Aquila in the eye; a few seconds later, she hangs her head again.

"Still not talking to me?" Aquila continues. "Oh, how silly of me; you're still gagged! Here, let me help you." Tapping into the Metal Crystal, Aquila summons blades very similar to those of secateurs; Maria flinches away as Aquila reaches to her. "Relax, I'm not going to hurt you yet," Aquila informs as he uses his other hand to hold Maria's head steady; with a single snip, he cuts away the gag. "There," he comments as he sits back. "Now you can talk."

Maria lifts her head once more. "Why?" she asks weakly.

"I thought I covered that last time?" Aquila answers, a little confused. "I want to avenge my father and kill Lord Arktivus Brevon."

"No," Maria replies. "Why all this?"

"Instead of killing you quickly? Simple: it's more fun this way."

"You monster."

"From the mouth of a career criminal and contract killer; it means nothing."

"We're not like you." _Need to keep him talking just a bit longer…_

"Killing is killing, no matter how you dress it up."

"We do it for the right reasons." _Almost there…_

"The fact that you believe that speaks volumes." Aquila pauses a moment, then sighs with fake reluctance. "Well, I suppose it's time to end this once and for all. I've enjoyed our little chat; pity it's the last thing you'll ever do." Aquila stands and discards the chair; he then taps into the Metal Crystal and summons a super sharp three-foot blade. "Any last words?"

Maria pauses for a moment; she then does the very last thing Aquila was expecting.

She starts to laugh.


	6. Chapter 6

Aquila hesitates as Maria's child-like laugh fills the throne room; with a roar of anger, he swings the blade directly at Maria's neck.

The blade stops dead before it strikes flesh.

Maria suddenly stops laughing; her eyes open to reveal spheres of flawless mahogany set against a skin of dark oak bark. "Bet you weren't expecting this!" she chimes; her voice has a strange hollow wood quality.

"No!" Aquila cries in desperation, vainly trying to pull the blade free. "No, it cannot be!"

Maria increases her draw on the Wood Crystal; in seconds she's free of her bonds. With inhuman speed, she dives straight at Aquila; taking firm hold of the device containing the Crystals, she yanks it free, simultaneously kicking Aquila across the throne room. Once back on her feet, Maria slams the device into the floor as hard as she can; it shatters on impact, spilling the Crystals; without a moment's hesitation, Maria grabs the Wood Crystal and fixes it to her belt.

"Oh, this is _incredible!_ " Maria chimes as the full potency of the Wood Crystal flows through her; a shimmering jade iridescence surrounds her entire body. "So much _power!_ "

" _THOSE ARE MINE!_ " Aquila screams as he charges Maria; the lynx fires a whole cluster of vines at the dragon; Aquila is thrown across the room again, slamming into the wall.

" _NOT ANYMORE!_ " Maria yells back. Eight vines sprout from the lynx's hands; three go to the Metal, Earth, and Water Crystals, the others to her friends.

Rob is the first to be saved; as one vine pulls the metal spikes free, a second slots the Metal Crystal into place. The hare lands with a great clang; a few moments later, he stands to reveal a skin of quicksilver and eyes of liquid gold. "Thank you Maria," he nods, his voice razor-sharp and metallic.

Xander is next to be saved; two vines penetrate and shatter the ice as a third seats the Water Crystal; Xander takes a few deep breaths before standing, his body seemingly aqueous, his eyes mother of pearl. "Nice work little one," he thanks with a voice like a thundering river.

Finally, two vines penetrate the pile of rubble burying Danny; a third follows them in, Earth Crystal held by its end. Within seconds, the Crystal is slotted home; the pile of rubble explodes into dust; as it settles, it reveals a bipedal gravel being with eyes of polished marble. "Good to be back," Danny grins, his gritty voice carrying the brutality of a landslide.

" _NO!_ " Aquila bellows, charging out of pure desperation; Xander slams the dragon back with a powerful jet of water; Danny follows with a stream of earth; the two elements mix into a thick mud; Rob surrounds the mud with a thick metal skin, trapping Aquila inside.

As the dragon slams into the floor, Maria approaches. Holding a hand open and flat, a delicate flower sprouts from her palm; she plucks it with the other hand, and plants it right in front of Aquila's face.

" _Now_ it's over," she declares as the Scarves return to normal.

"Not quite," Rob reminds, examining his rebuilt hand with his restored eyes. "There's still one last mission objective to complete."

"You two go," Danny suggests. "Xander and I will keep an eye on the 'captain'."

With a nod, Rob retrieves the Fire Crystal as he and Maria sprint out of the room.

Their destination: the dungeons. To rescue Hanna Skarlett.


	7. Chapter 7

Deep in the catacombs below the Kakusareta Kyuden is the dungeon; Rob and Maria enter, torches cutting through the gloom.

"It's spooky down here," Maria breathes. "My fur's standing on end."

"Mine too," Rob replies, "but not because of the dark…"

Together, they continue in silence, checking each cell in turn as they pass; so far, all empty.

"What if she's not here?" Maria asks as they near the last few cells. "What if she's already…?"

"I won't stop until I find her," Rob states forcefully. "Alive _or_ dead."

Maria checks the last cell on her side; it's empty. That leaves just one cell; Rob looks through the bars-

"In here," Rob breathes, a tear rolling down his cheek; using the power of the Metal Crystal, he forms a super-sharp blade which he uses to cut the door around the lock. Once done, he pushes the door open; the severed part of the door falls out of the jamb, hitting the stone floor with a loud clang.

The noise causes Hanna to stir; she opens her eyes, but they don't focus.

Maria joins Rob in the doorway; at the sight of Hanna's battered, emaciated, almost furless and near-naked form, she begins to cry, silently but freely. Rob enters the cell and kneels down by Hanna's side. Taking the key taped to the harness, he unlocks and removes it; Hanna collapses into his arms, her body limp.

"Hanna, it's me." Rob's voice is quiet and soft, full of love and reassurance.

Hanna remains silent for a moment. Slowly, her eyes begin to focus; grimacing, she lifts her head to meet Rob's worried and loving gaze. "You're late," she slurs, her voice almost broken beyond use.

"I know, and I am so, so sorry," Rob replies; he hugs Hanna, crying with both joy and sorrow. "I feared the worst…"

"I'm tough," Hanna croaks in reassurance; her arms shaking, she loosely wraps them round Rob. "Someone here," she adds a moment later.

"It's only me," Maria answers, joining the hug. "We'll get you out of here Hanna, we guarantee."

"Serious," Hanna replies. "Not 'meanie'."

"Please, Hanna, don't speak," Rob requests. "You need to rest; we'll get you to a hospital."

"Fire Crystal," Hanna replies.

"I have it," Rob explains.

"Give," Hanna sighs.

"It's worth a shot," Maria adds. "These Crystals have healing powers better than even Shang Tu's elixir."

"But…" Rob begins. "No," he continues a moment later, "you're right; the Fire Crystal is her best chance right now." Rob breaks the hug, handing Hanna to Maria. He then reaches into his pocket, taking out the Fire Crystal; guiding Hanna's shaking arms, he places the Crystal in her hands.

"Warm," Hanna sighs. "Is good."

"Maria, we'll need to help Hanna out of here," Rob explains. "You up to it?"

"Yeah," Maria replies, wiping her eyes dry with one hand.

"Aquila!" Hanna blurts suddenly. "Where?"

"Defeated," Rob assures. "He's no longer a threat to anyone."

"Alive?" Hanna asks.

"Yes; Danny and Xander are guarding him right now."

Hanna smiles weakly; there's a trace of wickedness in her eyes. "Me to him."

"No."

"Want to, have to. Things to say."

"No."

"Please. Then we can leave."

"You're too-"

"Weak? Very. But getting stronger." Hanna's voice is indeed getting stronger, but her limbs are still unsteady.

"I really think-"

"Shush. Maria, let go please."

Maria does as Hanna asks; Hanna nearly falls, but she manages to prop herself up in time. A moment later, she's sitting unaided. "See? Can sit. Not walk, not yet. Soon though. Can feel it."

"OK," Rob relents a moment later. "We'll take you to see Aquila."


	8. Chapter 8

Ten minutes later, Rob and Maria help Hanna into the throne room.

"What on Avalice…" Danny gasps at the sight of Hanna.

"She'll be fine," Rob assures. "We'll get her to a hospital. But first she wants to speak with Aquila."

Danny makes to object; he stops when he realises Rob will have already tried and failed to talk Hanna out of it. "OK," he relents; he and Xander part to allow Rob and Maria to help Hanna in front of Aquila.

"We win," Hanna chuckles, her voice fragile yet showing her returning strength; the chuckling triggers a brief coughing fit. "Sorry, I think I caught a cold down there," she quips.

"Next time, you won't be so lucky," Aquila defiantly replies.

"Luck?" Hanna retorts. "Hah! Luck had nothing to do with it! Yes, you captured me. Well done on that, by the way; it's extremely difficult to get anywhere near me without me hearing first." The Fire Crystal in her hand begins to glow faintly. "And I'm flattered you think I'm your biggest threat. And that harness, a stroke of genius; the added effect of taping the key to it just to taunt me, that was the cherry on top."

"I aim to please," Aquila growls.

Rob and Maria feel Hanna's weight lift off their shoulders; enough strength has returned to the vixen that she's now standing by herself. Her fur is regrowing too, and she's looking healthier overall; less emaciated, more colourful. Stunned, they back away slightly.

"Of course," Hanna continues, her voice almost completely normal, "capturing me alone was the biggest mistake. Thing is, my friends are just as dangerous as I am, if not more so. _Especially_ Rob and Maria. They're my closest friends; they'd stop at _nothing_ to rescue me if I went missing. As you have found out to your cost." Hanna is suddenly surrounded by a thick flaming aura, the Fire Crystal glowing brightly in her hand; Rob and Maria are forced to back away several feet. "Then again, I now have the Fire Crystal," Hanna continues, her voice now augmented with a deep undertone; her eyes turn black. "And as my friends will attest, the Fire Crystal makes me _extremely_ dangerous."

The flaming aura intensifies suddenly. The other four Crystals auto-activate, protecting their bearers from the intense heat; despite this, they stagger back, half-blinded.

"Hanna!" Rob cries. "What's going on?"

"Revenge," Hanna growls. Her voice is now completely transformed; it is the voice of a demon. It's no longer possible to see Hanna inside the flaming aura; the only evidence there's someone in the centre is a vague outline.

"Hanna, stop it!" Rob demands. "You're better than this!"

"He must _pay_ for what he has done!" the Hanna-demon bellows.

"And he will! But not like this!"

"But-"

"What happened to your vow never to kill again? Are you going to abandon that promise, just for revenge?"

" _Have you forgotten what he did to me? To us?_ " the Hanna-demon howls in fury.

"As long as there is breath left in me, I will never forget! And that is why I beg of you, _stop!_ "

"Why?" the Hanna-demon barks.

" _Because if you kill him, you're no better than he is!_ " Rob bellows, mercurial tears rolling down his metallic cheeks. " _Revenge is not the answer, and you know it! Now, STOP!_ "

" _NO! I MUST… I must…_ I must…" The Hanna-demon falters as the power of the Crystal and the desire for revenge wage war with decency and honour. "I can't… _I must…_ I can't… _I must…_ _I can't do it!_ " The flaming aura vanishes in an instant, leaving behind a shaking vixen. "I can't do it; I can't kill him."

"Pathetic," Aquila mocks as the other Crystals deactivate. "All that talk, and you couldn't go through with it."

"No," Hanna grins, discarding the Fire Crystal; she stumbles as its healing effects cease acting on her. "Not pathetic; strong. I have the power to reduce you to slag and ashes, yet I choose to let you live. I was a monster once; never again."

Hanna turns her back on Aquila and walks up to Rob. " _Now_ you can take me to a hospital," she states before collapsing; by the time Rob catches her, she's unconscious.


	9. Epilogue

The following afternoon, Danny and Maria are in the Magister's throne room, having delivered the Elemental Crystals and Captain Aquila Kawaguchi to the custody of the Shang Tu Royal Palace.

"For the second time within a year, a great evil has risen to threaten this world," the Magister speaks. "And for the second time, evil has been defeated and driven from our lands. On behalf of Shang Tu, I thank all five of you for all that you have done."

"We were simply correcting our earlier failure, Your Excellency," Danny humbly counters.

"That may be true, but it does not diminish your achievements; as promised, I have wiped your criminal records clean," the Magister assures. "Though I suspect it will not be long before they become dirty again," he adds with a trace of amusement.

"Stealing is fun!" Maria chirps. "Sorry," she adds a moment later in embarrassment.

"Apology accepted," the Magister nods.

"How's Sally?" Danny asks.

"Recovering well, all things considered," the Magister assures. "It'll be a while yet before she resumes her duties, but she's improving daily. If you wish, you can go see her; she's in the infirmary."

"Thank you, Your Excellency," Danny bows; he then turns and dashes out of the throne room without a moment's hesitation.

The Magister turns to Maria. "If I may inquire, where are Hanna, Rob, and Xander?"

* * *

In the Kasai-dojo's Grand Master's quarters, Rob paces fretfully, awaiting news of Hanna's condition.

"Please my friend, sit and relax," Hideyoshi requests softly. "I have my best medics working around the clock; your partner is in safe hands."

"I know," Rob sighs. "And I thank you for what you are doing for both of us."

"I am replaying the debt I accumulated while under Aquila's control," Hideyoshi explains. "It is the least I can do."

"It's a shame the other Grand Masters aren't so honourable," Rob mutters.

"Ryoichi is apathetic, Tsubaki vicious, and the less said about Kaede, the better," Hideyoshi agrees. "But you do Chika a grave disservice. In fact, she's the reason we brought Hanna here instead of Mizu-dojo; she recognises our medical facilities are better. Plus, it gives her some time alone with Xander; it seems they've developed quite the connection."

"Hmm."

"You don't approve?"

"Hm? No, it's not that, it's just… Well, they do say 'there's no such thing as a selfless act'."

"Very true," Hideyoshi chuckles politely. "But that does not diminish the honour she has shown."

"Agreed." Instinctively, Rob cocks the pistol he's holding. "Thanks for procuring this muscle relaxant for me," he remarks.

"My pleasure," Hideyoshi smiles. "Though you still haven't explained why you-"

Suddenly, the main door bursts open so hard it's torn from its hinges; immediately following is an incandescent vixen in a green hospital gown, teeth bared, claws at full extension, tail puffed out to twice its normal size. " _Hideyoshi Takenaka, you have a_ lot _of explaining to do!_ " Hanna bellows.

 _That's why._ "Is she normally like this?" Hideyoshi nervously asks a very relieved Rob.

"Only with people that kidnap or try to kill her," Rob assures, placing himself between Hanna and Hideyoshi; he aims the pistol at the vixen. "Don't worry; while I'm here, you'll be safe. Just one question: do you have any sports tape?"

"As much as you need," Hideyoshi confirms. "Why?"

Rob fires the pistol; the dart strikes Hanna in the thigh; a few moments later, she collapses limp as the powerful muscle relaxant takes hold of her. "For when that wears off," Rob answers.

* * *

"And that is the whole story," Hideyoshi concludes. "I hope you can understand why we did what we did."

Hanna, laid on the sofa and wrapped shoulder to ankle in sports tape, thinks for a moment. "Yes, I understand. And if I'm honest, I don't blame you; given what I did when I let myself be seduced by the powers of the Fire Crystal…" Hanna pauses to gather herself. "I think we can put this all behind us. Now, can you _please_ unwrap me?"

"Are you going to behave?" Rob asks, unable to hide a sly smile.

"I'll get myself out then!" Hanna declares. Her struggles are in vain however; her thrashing and twisting simply causes her to roll off the sofa and onto the floor, landing with a thump and a yelp. "OK, so I can't get myself out," she sighs. "Can I be put back on the sofa?"

"Are you going to fall off again?" Rob teases.

"Fine, I'll stay on the floor," Hanna sighs. "Can I have a pillow or a cushion at least?"

"Sure," Rob agrees; he fetches a cushion from the sofa and places it under Hanna's head. "Better?"

"A little. When are you going to unwrap me?"

"Soon enough."

"Are you sure you should be teasing her?" Hideyoshi asks Rob.

"You don't spend a lot of time around couples, do you?" Hanna asks Hideyoshi, smiling in amusement. "Anyway, I'm used to it. The teasing that is, not the wrapping. At least I'm comfortable now."

"It's all in good spirits," Rob adds, sitting on the sofa. "I was also going to propose the day she was kidnapped," he adds a moment later.

"And I was going to say 'yes'," Hanna smiles to Rob. "Though proposing on the fourth anniversary is a _bit_ cheesy," she teases.

"Seemed like a good idea at the time," Rob smiles back.

"Well, now you two have put me in a rather interesting position," Hideyoshi remarks. "At first, I was going to insist you stay another couple of days to ensure Hanna is fully recovered. But now I have to insist you stay for a week so I can make up for being complicit in ruining your anniversary."

"I'll admit, taking time to relax and recharge sounds tempting; Hanna?" Rob asks.

"Do I have to spend the whole time wrapped up?" Hanna replies.

"That's up to you," Rob winks.

"I can always say 'no'…" Hanna teases.

"OK, I'll unwrap you," Rob chuckles; with the tip of his sai, he makes quick work of freeing Hanna.

"Ah, much better!" Hanna sighs in relief. "You'd be surprised how hot you get in that stuff," she adds as she stands. "And if we're having a romantic week for two, courtesy of our former enemy, I need a shower and proper clothes; green is _so_ not my colour!"

"I think a skater dress in midnight blue would look good," Rob teases.

"Honey, take it from me, you ain't got the legs for it," Hanna flirts cheekily back.


	10. Six Months Later

"I'm really not sure about this."

"Trust me, it'll be fine; this is a controlled experiment."

"I've seen what happens when you let the power control you."

"That's why I've been working on these headbands; they limit the flow of energy from the Crystals to a more manageable level."

"I just hope you know what you're doing…"

"I'll never put you at risk, not after all you've done for me."

"OK; tell me when."

Sally presses a few buttons, toggles a few switches, and enters a few commands on her computer; in moments, the system is ready. "Commence inhibitor band test sequence alpha."

"Commence the what now?"

"Fire gravel at that bullseye fifty feet away."

Danny unleashes a measured and focussed stream of gravel at the target; he hits the bullseye dead centre.

"Good shooting," Sally compliments. "Now do it again, but this time, don't hold back."

"Are you sure?"

"Absolutely; give it everything and then some."

Danny takes a deep breath. Surrendering control, he allows the full power of the Earth Crystal to flow through him; he fires at the target again.

The gravel beam is identical to the first.

"…and that was a perfect test!" Sally grins with satisfaction. "Am I good, or am I good?"

"It's definitely impressive," Danny compliments, repositioning the yellow headband. "I just hope we never have a need for them…"

"Me too," Sally agrees. "Now, just twenty-three tests left; onto sequence beta…"


End file.
